1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a means for adjusting the view of two-dimensional graphical plots so users can make appropriate compromises between the amount of detail that is presented on an electronic display and the range of data that can be within view at any given time. The present invention also provides a mechanism for the user to control the subset of data that will be within view on an electronic display when the entire data plot exceeds the dimensions of the display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various electronic devices, such as computer graphical user interfaces and some real-time display monitors (e.g., physiological monitors), graphically depict measurements taken on some object over time. These depictions sometimes take the form of points, or lines between points, on two axes, with time generally indicated on the horizontal axis and the magnitude of the reading indicated on the vertical axis.
Depending on how frequently points are plotted (e.g., a measurement plotted every second versus every minute) and on how long the data recording has been taking place, it may not be possible for all of the plot to be within view on a video display at one time. With current approaches to graphically displaying data captured in real time, some of the points or lines must move off of the display to make room for more recently occurring ones. For example, assume that a physiological sensing device is automatically taking a person's pulse at 30-second intervals. These readings are then plotted on a two-dimensional graphical display, with a line connecting each point. If each reading is plotted approximately 1 centimeter apart, the display (e.g., computer screen) will be out of space for additional plots in less than 30 minutes. However, the user may want to see much or all of the data at once, including previously plotted data that would normally be off the display if the recording had been going on for a long time. This is not readily accommodated by existing user interfaces for viewing graphical data depictions.
Additionally, the user may wish to go back and forth quickly between points that are widely separated and not simultaneously in view, making comparisons between them (e.g., comparing a person's pulse before administration of a drug and one hour afterward). Current user interface approaches do not readily accommodate these desires to move one's view back and forth along an axis.
Current conventional approaches to graphical plots use a constant resolution, or scale, throughout the range of data being captured. However, users may be interested in fine detail for some parts of the plot but may be satisfied with a coarser view at other times. More refined user control of the resolution of the graphical data representation is needed to accomplish this than what is currently available.